emergency rm time?

[tiltingwindmills]

I am sitting here really scared right now. I started having weird symptoms this past year. My platelets are always low, and I got a rash on my face, swollen stomach, itchiness, losing hair, red hands w/ no tolerance to cold. abdominal pain. My Dr would give me various creams and pain meds. For some messed up reasons, I finally had to find a new Dr, because he just seems like he wants you in and out and has too many patients. I went out and got a pain Dr. and was told I have to wait a couple of months for a new G.P.  A couple of days ago I started getting bad pain in my belly button. It seems to be getting worse, and now it is bleeding.I usually hate going to the Dr because I have to tell them about a past that includes I.V. drug use & prison.In prison I developed a tumor on my pancreas and almost died from surgery. I was also diagnosed with Hep. C, portal hyper tension, gastric varices, and beginning cirrhosis. I was in bad shape. Somehow, I survived prison, and was released in 2000. I stayed clean and really thrived up until last year. Its weird, I got faster and more thorough care in prison. Hardly anything has been addressed since I got out + I have been avoiding admitting that my health is failing. I have heard I probably would not be considered for a transplant if I needed one due to my past. When I was a junkie, it was as though I was committing slow suicide, but now that I am facing a serious illness, all I want is more time on Earth. My 1st grandchild has given me so much joy, I want to stick around. I am debating whether to go to the E.R. or wait to see my new Dr.

[pugdaddy]

Dear Tilting -
Hopefully you have by now seen a doctor, either in the ER or your own.  Hector has (as always) provided you with excellent and accurate advice....and most importantly, has assured you that there IS hope for you!
Please do let us know how you are doing -
PD  

[HectorSF]

"My 1st grandchild has given me so much joy, I want to stick around."
Congratulations!!! The will be live and change your life makes you eligible for a transplant should you need it.
Now you must have ongoing care for your liver cirrhosis and possible liver transplant. You need to be evaluated by a Liver center and be under the care of a hepatologist.

If you are done with drugs then you are eligible for a transplant. Don't let anyone tell you different. Alcoholics are eligible if they have proven sobriety and so can you. Your profile says you live in Santa Barbara. There are many excellent liver transplant centers in Southern California.
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UCLA Medical Center
How to Schedule Your Evaluation Appointment at UCLA
Please call [phone]. Be prepared to provide the following information: name, address, birth date, social security number and name of referring physician.
The Transplant Clinic, where the evaluation will take place, is located at 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, next to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Parking is conveniently located in parking structures beneath and directly behind the Medical Plaza. Physicians may refer patients to UCLA transplant programs by calling the appropriate referral number below. Referring physicians will be promptly contacted by a member of the transplant team to discuss their patient's case, and an appointment will be scheduled.
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Liver Disease and Transplant Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
8635 W. 3rd St., Suite 590W
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771)

Liver Disease and Transplant Center
Excellence of healthcare is the cornerstone of medical services provided at the Liver Disease and Transplant Center. For patients coping with the often-serious effects of organ problems, that translates to high-level expertise delivered in a caring environment.

Our staff includes a full contingent of professionals ready to serve patients' needs - from arranging appointments with specialists and helping sort out insurance issues to performing the complex liver transplant surgeries and monitoring follow-up care. Working in concert on behalf of the patients under their care are:

Hepatologists
Immunologists and virologists
Pathology experts
Radiologists
Surgeons specializing in liver transplantation
Specially trained nurses
Case management coordinators
Support groups
Cedars-Sinai's research labs offer patients the opportunity to enroll in studies and thereby be first in line to access to the latest generation of medications and procedures.
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Do you have insurance? A transplant is many hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you don't have company insurance look into SSDI or SSI. Starting Janurary 1, 2014 the new healthcare act will provide you with insurance. You can sign up starting October 1st. Here is the website for California's health exchange if you need health insurance.
http://www.coveredca.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Health+Benefit+Exchange&utm_term=California&gclid=CL6Ey9qAsbgCFeF_Qgod4hkAqg

I hope this helps.
Hector

[Dee1956]

I am so sorry for what you are going through, fear is a bad thing.  I hope you have gotten some help, gone to the ER to see what is going on
Good luck
D

[Advocate1955]

I think it is best to go to the ER with the unexplained bleeding from the bellybutton. Given that you have cirrhosis with portal hypertension, this could be a bleed due to this (a variceal bleed).
Advocate1955